Spears student earns Best Q&A Award at National Business and Ethics Case Competition

Monday, December 9, 2024

Media Contact:
Stephen Howard | Manager of Communications | 405-744-4363 | [email protected]

Oklahoma State University MBA student Bryson Diener earned the Best Q&A Award at the
National Business and Ethics Case Competition in Ethical Leadership held Nov. 13-15
at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

Diener, along with teammates Elizabeth Rosson, Reagan Sims and Shianna Woods, competed
against 14 other prestigious MBA programs, including Carnegie Mellon, Texas A&M and
Minnesota. The team had 24 hours to analyze Boeing’s business practices and present
strategic recommendations focusing on financial health and ethical improvements.

“My teammates and I had the privilege of representing OSU at the National MBA Case
Competition in Ethical Leadership, and over the course of 24 hours we were presented
with a challenging case that required us to identify key ethical issues, develop actionable
solutions, and create a comprehensive 20-minute presentation,” Diener said. “We then
delivered our proposed solutions to a panel of real-world industry experts in ethical
leadership and participated in the Q&A portion of the competition, during which judges
posed questions about our proposed solutions. I was honored to receive the Best Q&A
Award during the competition, but I view it as a reflection of my team’s collective
efforts. Our thorough preparation and collaboration ensured we were aligned on every
aspect of our solution, which positioned me to respond confidently and effectively
during the judges’ questions. It was truly a team achievement, and I’m proud of what
we accomplished together.” 

MBA manager Rodrigo Tello co-leads the Spears School of Business case consulting course
alongside MBA director Dr. Matt Bowler. This required class teaches students analytical
and presentation skills that prepare them to participate in these competitions, as
well as skills that translate to business settings.

“Witnessing how our MBAs put into practice what they learn in our 8-week case consulting
class, and receiving this award, signals that we are preparing our MBAs to excel not
only in competitions but also in real-life business scenarios,” Tello said.

The MBA case consulting team will continue its competitive season at two upcoming
national events: BYU’s Faith and Belief in the Workplace Competition in February and
the Big 12 Business Case Competition in March.

The Spears Business MBA is tied for 16th on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the
2024 Best Online MBA Programs.